Clapham shooting – live: Suspects still at large and identities unknown after three injured
Shotgun believed to have discharged accidentally as suspect fled police chase
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Detectives are still urgently trying to identify the suspects involved in an incident in Clapham which left two people with shotgun pellet injuries after a police chase in south London.
Officers were pursuing two people on a moped which failed to stop in Clapham on Friday evening when the bike collided with a member of the public and crashed shortly afterwards, the Metropolitan Police said.
“Officers have established that one of the suspects was in possession of a shotgun which was discharged as it struck the ground having been dropped while the suspects fled on foot,” Scotland Yard said in an update on Saturday afternoon.
Two women in the street, aged 27 and 36 years, sustained shotgun pellet injuries. They were not deliberately targeted, police said. All three victims have now been released from hospital.
Police had swarmed the high street and a witness told The Independent a gun was recovered by officers at the scene.
DCI Gemma Alger said: “Our investigation to identify the two people responsible is at an early stage, but we will be relentless in following up every line of enquiry to arrest them.”
One female bystander shot in the leg, according to witness
One woman walking on Clapham South Side during a busy rush hour was shot in the leg as two men on a moped fired a shotgun at pursuing police officers.
A witness said: “I didn’t see blood but I saw her touching her leg in pain. The other victims I’m not so sure of.
“They must’ve been trying to shoot at the police officer behind them but ended up hitting bystanders.”
She added the two were wearing all black clothes and quickly dropping the weapon believed to be a shotgun before fleeing the busy high street.
Local barber recalls shooting unfolding
A local barber said he was left “shocked” after hearing shooting close to his shop near Clapham Common.
The man, who gave his name as Kaka, 34, who works in Chop Barbers, said: “I was in the shop just before 5 and I heard a gunshot up the road.
“We were all shocked because it was so close, the police were everywhere afterwards.”
Several roads in the area have been cordoned off.
Two men on a motorbike ‘firing at bystanders randomly’ before crashing into the pavement - witness says
Two men on a motorbike fired a gun randomly at bystanders before crashing into the pavement nearly hitting one witness in Clapham.
She said: “Anyone who was shot were just strangers crossing the street. The motorbike crashed right in front of me.
“They fell off the bike and began running towards Brixton and must’ve been trying to shoot at the police officer behind them but ended up hitting bystanders.”
She added the two were wearing all black clothes and quickly dropping the weapon believed to be a shotgun.
”They threw the gun into the street pretty quickly after firing”, she added.
Two shot and third injured by moped in Clapham
Hello and welcome to our live blog on the incident unfolding in Clapham this evening.
Two people have suffered gunshot wounds and a third has been injured by a moped by suspects who fled the scene, the Met Police said.
The force said a firearm, believed to be a shotgun, was left at the scene in Clapham Common South side.
A Met spokesman said: “At 4.55pm on Friday police were in pursuit of a moped that had failed to stop in the Clapham area.
“A firearm, believed to be a shotgun, was discharged from the moped in the vicinity of Clapham Common South Side. Two people sustained shotgun pellet injuries. A third person was injured by the moped. The suspects fled the scene.”
He added: “While we await formal assessments, at this stage we don’t believe any of those injured to be in a life-threatening condition. A crime scene is in place and urgent enquiries to trace the moped are ongoing. There have been no arrests at this stage. Firearms officers are searching the area.”
We’ll bring you all the latest updates as we get them.